User Reviews for EMG 81 Active Humbucker Pickup

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By a customer from juno.com

Submitted: 9/9/2003

Style of Music: All forms of Metal, Blues, and Classical

"The only comparable product that i've found to this(when it comes to quality) is a Dimarzio Evolution pickup, but thats a bit sk"

Sound:

I would characterize the sound of this product as; Ideal for a good driven lead sound. Its not tonally over-drenched, but yet its not lacking. Thing is with most pickups i've found out there, is that when you hit a lowmid note and then hit a significantly more treble note, you instantly get a horrid muddy sound, and have to instantly mute, with the EMG-81 you can climb from a bass to treble run quickly without having a tone cut-out, feedback, unproportioned highs and mids or a muddy sound.
Amazingly as well, it sounds good live as well as in recording. Use to, I would've had to have two explicitly different guitars for a live rig and a studio rig. Not anymore.
This pickup helps majorly with manipulating the sound of my notes, when i need it.
My only tip to make this product sound the best it can, is to wire it correctly or have a Tech do it for you. If your wiring this with a passive pickup, then don't let the Tech tell you it can't be done. Go to EMG online and get the wiring diagram for a passive/active setup and shove it down the Tech's throat.

Quality:

It was sent to me in perfect shape, and i've had the product for good while now, and its still running at 100% condition.

The Wow Factor:

Heh. This pickup doesn't quite have those curves that do it for me. But its sound is definitely genius, genius enough to be ****able.

Overall:

There is nothing i dislike about this product. Even replacing the 9-volt is a wondermous ritual for me. I will wear the pickup out for the rest of its days, and when its done with(if ever) i'll buy another to replace it.

Overall:

10 out of 10

Features:

10 out of 10

Quality:

10 out of 10

Value:

10 out of 10

The Wow Factor:

10 out of 10

Sound:

10 out of 10

Manufacturer Support:

10 out of 10

50% of users found this reviews helpful (4 votes).

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This humbucker has the best sound I have heard with distortion. I first started looking into EMGs when I bought a Metallica concert on DVD and saw that they used EMGs so I thought that if they use it then it must sound really good. It has really good sound by picking up the smallest sounds like the tap with your finger to the hard to pickup with a low end passive pickup. I'm going to buy a pair to install into my Jackson and just wail on it. Hope this helps.

Manufacturer Support:

EMG is a great company to come to for help from installing your pickup to how to make your guitar sound like one of your favorite guitarists (Kirk Hammett/Randy Rhoads for me)

Value:

Worth the money

The Wow Factor:

Very sharp looking. Makes your guitar look good.

Overall:

Really love this pickup

Overall:

10 out of 10

Features:

10 out of 10

Quality:

10 out of 10

Value:

10 out of 10

The Wow Factor:

10 out of 10

Sound:

10 out of 10

Manufacturer Support:

10 out of 10

50% of users found this reviews helpful (2 votes).

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By a customer from aol.com

Submitted: 7/16/2003

Style of Music: jazz, metal, funk

"hoooly craaaap"

This reviewer purchased this item from Same Day Music.

Sound:

this sounds amazing. the sound clips on the emg website dont pay this pickup liberty. metallica uses it, and with good reason. it sounds amazing.

Feature:

the quick release plug on most emg pickups is extremely conveinient for switching. great really great.

Quality:

great.

Manufacturer Support:

i havnt dealt with emg. so i dunno. no problems, so no need for support.